Aïoli — Garlic and Olive Oil Emulsion

True Provençal aïoli is one of the most elemental sauces in existence: garlic pounded in a mortar with salt until it forms a smooth paste, then olive oil worked in drop by drop until the garlic's own moisture and cellular structure create an emulsion. No egg yolk. The technique is ancient and demanding — without lecithin from egg, the garlic's cell walls and their pectin content must do the emulsifying work, which requires patience, a heavy mortar, and a steady hand. The garlic must be the freshest available, ideally new-season, with no green germ (which adds bitterness). Peel and split each clove, remove the germ, then pound with coarse sea salt — the salt acts as an abrasive that breaks down the cells more completely. Once the paste is silk-smooth with no visible fibre, begin adding olive oil in drops so small they barely leave the bottle. After 30-40ml have been absorbed and the paste has taken on a thick, ointment-like consistency, the oil can flow in a thin trickle. The finished aïoli should be thick enough to hold a pestle upright and taste aggressively of garlic with the fruity richness of good olive oil. The modern restaurant version typically includes a yolk for emulsion insurance — this is legitimate but should be acknowledged as a departure from tradition. Aïoli is the centrepiece of le grand aïoli, the Provençal Friday feast of salt cod, boiled vegetables, chickpeas, and snails — a dish that defines a cuisine.

• Spanish alioli (identical concept — garlic, oil, mortar)
• Lebanese toum (garlic, oil, lemon — same mortar technique, lemon acid added)
• Greek skordalia (garlic emulsion with potato or bread — starch-stabilised variant)